Flekible metal-lined tube



C. PALMER FLEXIBLE METAL LINED TUBE Sept. 7 1926.

INVENTEIR F'iledllgl 5, 1923 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I um t iZZa MI ATT DRNEY Sept 7 1926.

C. PALMER FLEXIBLE-METAL LINED TUBE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 3, 1923 INVENTDR MMWVM ATTEIRNEY Patented Sept. 7, 1926.

enaiirns mm'na, for BUFFALO," fiEw'Yo'nk, sassrenoit'roriiimahil ME AL nose "contention; or serum; new "Yo'n'K, A eoaronarien for NEW YcsK.

I EIJE XiBIiE METAnLIivEb TUBE,

Tlieobject of this invention'is to'provide a flexible metaltubebr hose having a lining forming a smooth *bore in *the same.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l' is "a fragmentary longitudinal sectional elevation of a flexible metal tube or hose of ooniparativelysmalldiameter embodying my invention Figure 2 is a cross section of the same. Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal seotion 'showin'g atube of larger diameter containing r'ny improvements. Fi'gUreA'is a iragm'entary longitudinalseo tin,'on an enlarged scale, showing the iformation of the'sheathing and lining and the manner of 'nterlockin'g the "same in accordanoe with my invention. Figure 5 is a sectional View of the completedsheathing strip. Figure '6 is a similar View of thelining strip. Figure? is a perspective view of the strip from which the'sheathing is made.

Figures 8, '9 and are fraginentary section'al "views ishowi'ng successive stages a in the preliminary formation of the sheathing strip by means "of p'roiiling rolls. Figure 11 is a perspective view of'the strip from which the lining is made. Figure 12 is a seotionalview showing theinanner of profiling theilining strip preparatory to assembling the same with the sheathing strip. Figures 1 3, and15 are fragmentary sectiona'l views showing successive stages in the operation of assembling the sheathing and lining strips and interlocking the same 'in toa'ooin leted'tube. Figure 16 is a front 'GlB'VEtlO'H 0' an apparatus'adapted for p'rorinsing "the flexible metal tube with smooth bore lining of my invention. Figure 17 is front elevation of that part of the apparatus whioh profi'les the liningstrip-before the same is assembled with the sheathi ng. Figure' 18 isa longitudinal section 0 f the Sa ine. I t g Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 2

In its] 5' enerail organization, the sheathing tr theexible inetal tube -or hose which contains my improvements is constructed of strip of i "pliable sheet metal which iis wonndj spirally that the rson-t edge 11 of eash convolution for "turn oierlap's the 12 or the preceding;eona elntion. several czsnvtlntions cr the strip whieh "thiis ma hs sheathing-er the has isse ne terlo'oked with each other so that the tube is flexible, yet will not pull apart under normal conditions, by ofisetting the iront and rear edge'portionsof the strip so as 'to form a longitudinal web 13 between them and providing the front edge portion "of each convolution with an inwardly projeete a forwardly facing iiiternalshoulder 16 between'thes'e hookfiang'es. g I v The lining is constructed from a strip 17 of .pliable nieet metal which is wound spirally in the same direction as the sheathing, so that each successive "convolution 'of the same overlaps the outer side of the next preceding oonvolution thereof. The crossiseotion of the lining'strip is suchtha't 'its front edge portion 18 is offset outwardly and the rear edge .portion 19 'ofthe same is offset inwardly and between these oflfs et parts the lining strip is provided with a transverse web 20 which connects the oilset parts of the strip and produces an external rearwardly facing shoulder 21 on the same. hen the sheathing and lining are assembled, the front portionof each convolution of the lining is arran'ged'between the outward turned hook flange of the next forward convolution ot'the sheathing, its rearwardly facing shoulderfzl is adapted to bear againstthe forwardly facing shoulder -of the corresponding convolution of the sheathing and'its rear portion engages with the inwardly ofiset rear portion of the re 'speotive' sheathing convolution andex'tends across the groove, recess or gap 22 between the 'COTI'BSPO'IIdIIIg and the next following convolutions of the sheathing while its "rear extremity "engages with the inner side of therear part of the next following lining convolution, asbest shown in Fig. 4. y

' 33y this'i'nean "a lining isjproy ided whieh produces a tactically smooth bore I on the inner sizie or the he'ethii'i and renders the y esirab'e for condiieting granular serfieehd ifiitriitls, for "iii stance, flax seed and other grains inasmuch as this construction prevents the material from lodging in the gaps between the convolutions of the sheathing and instead causes the same to flow freely through the tube with aminimum of friction and resistance. Furthermore, by thus lining the sheathing the tube as a whole is much lighter and tighter than a tube made up of one sheathing within another for producing what has been known theretofore as a double armored hose which last mentioned construction was objectionable on account of weight and the piling up or lodging of material in the joints or corrugations which decreased the internal diameter of the tube, prevented free flow of the material and substantially lengthened the time required to load or discharge a specified amount of material.

The preferred mean and method of procedure for manufacturing this lined metal flexible tube in accordance with my invention are as follows:

A strip '10 of. pliable sheet metal of a suitable width, as for example that shown in Fig. 7, is first passed between a pair of offsetting profiling rolls 23, 24 the cooperating peripheral surfaces of which are adapted upon engaging opposite sides of the strip blank to offset the two edge portions of the strip relatively to each other and form a longitudinal web 13 which connects the inner opposing parts of these offsets, as shown in Fig. 8. This strip is next passed between two flanging profiling rollers 25, 26, which are constructed and operate to form flanges 27, 28 which project in opposite directions on the front and rear longitudinal edges of the strip and are arranged at right angles thereto, as shown in Fig. 9. This strip is next operated upon by the opposing surfaces of a pair of upsetting profile rollers 29, 30 which are constructed to bend the two flanges 27, 28 slightly inwardly, so as to form oblique angles with the body of the strip, as shown in Fig. 10.

At the same time that the sheathing strip is being thus profiled into the preliminary cross sectional shape, the strip of sheet metal 17 is passed between a pair of co-operating offsetting profiling rolls 31, 32, which operate to bend the lining strip, as shown in Fig. 12, to produce the outwardly offset portion 18 on the front longitudinal edge of this strip which is comparatively narrow and the inwardly ofl set portion 19 on the rear longitudinal edge of this strip, which front and rear offset strip portions are connected by the web 20. 7

After the sheathing and lining strips have been thus profiled, the same are fed together with the sheathing strip on the outer side and the lining strip on the inner side, to a rotary mandrel 35 in such manner that these strips wind spirally around this mandrel and the inwardly turned up-set flange 2-7 at the front or advancing longitudinal edge of the sheathing strip to engage with the outwardly projecting upset flange 28 at the rear or trailing longitudinal edge of the last turn or convolution of the sheathing strip and the co-operating flanges of the adjacent overlying parts of the sheathing strip which have just been assembled to be partially set down or pressed closer together between the periphery of the mandrel and an initial setting down roll 36 arranged above the mandrel, whereby the hook formation of the flanges on the sheathing strip is increased and these flanges are partially interlocked, as shown in Figs. 13 and 16, and prevented from becoming disengaged.

.Vhile the co-operatin flanges of two sheathing convolutions are being thus partially set down the outwardly offset front portion of the lining strip is arranged on the underside of the outwardly offset front portion of the corresponding convolution of the sheathing strip, as shown in Fig. 13.

After the partially interlocked hook shaped flanges on adjacent convolutions of the sheathing strip have been acted 011 by the mandrel and initial setting down roll, this strip, with its flanges still in the same condition, descends on one side of the mandrel and these flanges are retained in this position by the first section 37 of a guiding die, as shown in Fig. 16. After leaving the first section of the guiding die, the assembled sheathing and lining strips pass between the periphery of the mandrel and an intermediate setting down roll 88, as shown in Fig. 16, whereby the setting down of the co-operating flanges of the sheathing strip may either be maintained to the same extent as effected in Fig. 13, or the intermediate setting down roll may be so constructed as to progressively increase the angularity or inward bend of the co-operating flanges of the sheathing strip and also confine the outwardly offset front portion of the respective lining convolution within the correspondin sheathing convolution to a great. er extent, as shown in Fig. 1 1. As the sheathing and lining strips continue their rotary motion with the mandrel, they next pass between the same and the second section 39 of the guiding die and then the co-operating flanges of adjacent convolutions of the sheathing strip are acted upon by a final setting down roll 40 between which and the periphery of the mandrel the assembled strips pass, as shown in Fig. 16. The result is that the final setting down roll completes the closing or pressing together of the hook shaped flanges of adjacent convolutions of the sheathing strip and finishes the bending of these flanges, so that they are arranged parallel with, or substantially parallel with t e axis of the tube, as shown in F gs, 1, at

and 15, whereby these flanges are fully interlocked and incapable of being separated or unhooked under normal conditions.

In addition to Completing the setting down of the co-operating hook flanges of adjacent sheathing convolutions these flanges are bent or doubled in such manner as to or final section 41 of the guiding die and then leave the mandrel as finished parts of the lined flexible metal tubing.'

A machine organized for producing the several operations above described may be constructed as follows:

42 represents the main frame of the ma chine which may be of any suitable construction. On the rear part of this frame is mounted a standard 43 upon which are mounted the sheathing strip upsetting rolls 29, 80, and additional standards of the same character being provided for similarly mounting theflanging rolls 25, 26 andoffsetting rolls 23, 24;. These offsetting rolls, flanging rolls and upsetting rolls may be rotated by power in any suitable manner. On the rear part of the main frame is also arranged a standard 14 upon which are journaled the lining strip offsetting rolls 31, 32 which latter may also be turned by power in any approved manner.

45 represents a standard arranged on the front part of the main frame and provided centrally with a main horizontal driving shaft 4C6 which carries the mandrel 35. The

initial setting down roll 36 is pivotally mounted on the upper part of the standard 45 and co-operates with the top of the mandrel and the intermediate and final setting down rolls 38 and 40 engage with opposite sides of the lower part of the mandrel and are pivotally mounted on the adjacent parts of the front standard 45. The several sections of the guiding die are mounted on the front standard and alternate with the setting down rolls. Any desired cineans may be employed for rotating themandrel and the setting down rolls co-operating therewith.

As the sheathing strip issues fromthe upset profiling rolls and'the lining strip issues from its offset profiling rolls the same together pass between the mandrel and the several setting down rolls for interlocking these strips and then continuously discharging the finished product from the machine.

I claim as my invention:

A flexible metal. tube having a helical sheathing and a lining, the sheathing consisting of a strip of metal which in cross section has two parallel longitudinal body sections, the opposing inner edges of which are offset from each other. and connected by a web and the outer longitudinal edges of which are provided with hooks which are reversely bent along opposite sides of the respective body sections, and the hook on one edge of one convolution interlocking with the hook on the opposite edge of the next convolution, and said lining consisting of a strip of metal which in cross section has two parallel body sections which are offset and a web connecting the inner longitudinal edges of said off-set sections of the lining body and said lining having its web engaging the web of the sheathing and the front longitudinal edge of the lining being arranged between the body section of one convolutlon and the rear hook on the rear edge of the preceding convolution and the volution and the rear edge of the preceding lining convolution and also engaging with the inner side of the rear part of the next following convolution of the lining.

CHARLES PALMER. 

